


Teeth, Claws and a Blaster or Two

by DeepDenizen



Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Completely new world ideas, Dragons, F/M, Human Experimentation, Implied/Referenced Torture, Magic, Monsters, Multi, Multiple Plot Lines, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Science Fiction stuff, Slow Burn, War on both sides, lots of fighting, mentions of abuse, non human main character, slight X-men and Marvel references, slow burn for some of the characters, the whole shebang
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-08-09 18:59:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16455506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeepDenizen/pseuds/DeepDenizen
Summary: When a shia la-bonifide bad ass and a morally correct alien robot meet, shit hits the fan.However, this bad ass isn't all that she seems either.Much to the surprise of the morally correct robot--the bad ass has green eyes.And a whole ass lot of teeth.





	1. Five in the Afternoon

**Author's Note:**

> Ever seen (blank) before?  
> Well you're about to!

 For some odd reason, humans had class every god damn day of the week. At least give us Monday off, sheesh!

 Exactly the reason I was able to get out of class early each day.

 My knuckles rap against the desk as I stare blankly at the wall, droning out the teacher's infernal yapping with the quiet and constant sound. What in the name of Hell, above and below, was Logan thinking, making me go to twelve years of school here in the US?

 "Molly."

 I look up and raise an eyebrow. "James."

 The teacher narrows his eyebrows and sighs. "Stop with the gloves."

 I sneer and grab my bag. "It's time for me to go anyways. Thanks for the water bottle, Zach!" I huff as I leave the room.

 Jasper High, out of all the high schools in the country, I end up here for four years.

 From Texas, to Oregon, Michigan, North Dakota and Washington, I end up in Jasper "god damn it's hot" Nevada.

 I burst through the doors of the school and whip my phone out.

 Ah, right on time, Miko.

_**Bombastic: Hey, MP! Wanna hang out after class? Ya boi got money for pizza this time!** _

I snort and slide on the rail down the stairs.

**_Can't, have to work on Logan's bike, it fucked itself up_ **

**_Bombastic: God dang it, and here I thought we could jam tonight_ **

**_Hah, maybe some other day  
Gotta go_ **

 I stuff my backup phone into my bag and frown. I hate lying to Miko, I really do. She's the only human around with a sense of adventure, it seems. An underclassmen, yes, but she's better than the jocks I talk to. But, again, she's human, never mind that, a human who can't keep her mouth shut. 

 It's not like I can tell her I'm actually headed towards the train yard to get to the forest. 

 Avoiding the traffic of the highway and flipping off the people who honk at me, I slip into the back alleys and run off.

 Darker and cooler than the desert, it's nicer in the alleys than it is on the streets. 

 A beep echoes in my ear as I pass a red suitcase. I tap the small device in my ear and click my tongue. "Hello?"

**"Molly, my girl, my dog, my bff, I've missed you!"**

 A grin firms on my face almost immediately. "Sobek!" I laugh and lean on the wall. "It's been weeks!What's up?"

 **"Nothing, really,"** he says in a groan.  **"Jekyller being an ass, as usual. He kept saying how the royal guard is more of an under grade police force than a legit military faction."**

 I made no attempt to stop the snarl from rippling through my lips. "Is he serious?"

 **"It's Jekyller,"** Sobek sighs.

 I huff and rub my eyes. "Anything new?"

**"Couple reports came in this morning. A few panicked animals and civilians called in about giant robots fighting the nearby rock quarries and mines. We checked them out, but there isn't any evidence besides a couple drilled through rocks."**

 I raise an eyebrow. Giant robots? "Tell them not to worry much," I say. "They may have confused construction vehicles as such, or saw an illusion."

**"A'ight. Still in Nevada?"**

 "Till April," I groan. "Sobek, it's hotter than Hell here."

**"Oo. Ouch, how you holding up? I can barely make it through sessions of recruit training, but humans? Dear god..."**

 "I'm lucky," I laugh, "I don't have to stay the entire day. Still...I've heard some dumb shit. A kid legit thought that Canada was next to Mexico."

 **"Yeah, you have it worse. Oh, gods damn it,"** he whispers.  **"Fucking hell, a rookie got hold of a paint ball gun. Uh, see you later!"**

 He hangs up quickly and I snort. Okay, kids are stupid, but rookies are hilarious.

 I'm blinded when I walk out of the alleys and into the open train yard, cars waiting on the tracks. I huff and spot a train car blocking the fence gate. I kink up my nose and growl. Heaving my bag back up my shoulder, I stop right in front of the car. "Sure, just park your damn car right there, not like shit ain't gonna happen to it," I grumble to myself and press up against one end.

 Forcing it back isn't the problem, it's getting some damn traction. My feet keep slipping on the dust and dirt and my claws beg to dig into the ground so I can actually get this damn thing moving. Gritting my teeth, I push harder and the wheels and tracks groan. With one last shove, the car is out of my way. 

 I pant and wipe my forehead, "I can't be that out of shape, can I?" I ask. I swallow and step over the tracks, only for the air to get knocked out of my lungs as I fall.

 "Fucking-" I snarl and stand back up. Great, my pants are going to be covered in dirt now. I narrow my eyes and look down. What the hell did I slip on?

 A shimmery liquid catches my eye and I tilt my head. It's blue, not neon but some kind of gem blue. Rules out plasma or radiation. I rub it with my shoe. It's smooth, very liquidy, like water, just no air bubbles. The smell isn't much either, there's a brief metallic scent to it, but nothing more.

 I wipe my boot on the dust and carry on. The chain fence clinks as I jump over it, landing on the other side, facing away from the city. "Okay," I smile faintly. A walk is just what I need.

 My foot steps are the only thing I hear as I walk through the dry and flat land around me, keeping my head low. The sun is just a devil today, ain't she? I squint my eyes against the bright yellow light and shove my hands in my pockets. 

 Odd, usually someone would meet me halfway, and I have been walking for, what? Five minutes.

 I look at the sky and glare at the moon that refused to set. 

 Hm, maybe I should have gone straight home.

 My eyes lock on the sight ahead and my boot crunches against a dead brush. That's a good thing, maybe, here in the desert. You walk just a bit away and suddenly you can't hear the city anymore.

 My spine shivers and I snap around. Snarling and baring my teeth, my eyes dart across the desert. Nothing seems disturbed in any way, shape or form. "Come on," I smack myself. "I shouldn't be that out of focus." I frown and wipe my forehead, turning back around. 

 My spine doesn't twitch unless something is behind me. What the hell is wrong with me today?

 I shake my head quickly, and instead of walking farther away, I walk back. Obviously, I need some rest. My body and mind are on edge and it's too hot for me to functi-

**Boom**

 "Huh?" I turn my head. Hell below and Heights above, I swear something is behind me. I curl my fist, unsheathe some claws and turn my head around. If I can make it to the streets, I'll be fine.

**Boom boom**

 Don't pay any attention to it. It'll go away as soon as you make it to the train yard.

 They feel like footsteps, heavy, like mine. But as far as I know, I'm not shifted and there isn't another beast that size around for miles. 

 I walk with much lighter footsteps and quicken my pace, tightening my grip on my bag.

 The footsteps grow heavier and faster. I book it.

 Scrambling over the fence and landing on my side, I roll to my feet and sprint like a fox after a rabbit, fast and far from the train cars and into the warehouse.

 I don't think anything is following me, no. I just think it's easier to hide than to run. 

 I breathe in. I breathe out. Relaxing my shoulders, I assure myself quietly that nothing's out there. It's the desert, nothing is out in the desert during the day. "It's probably just the construction down the road or something, nothing's there," I mumble, my head resting on the warehouse walls. I sigh and run my fingers through my hair. 

 I finally turn the corner and freeze.

 Standing in the warehouse doorway is some kind of huge robot, looming over me.

 My shoulders drop and I clench my jaw. "Ah, fuck."


	2. Our heroine messes up big time

 Okay, now was it my fault that I ran into a robot? No.

 Was it my fault that the warehouse was set on fire?

 Yes.

 Yes, it was.

 I sprint away from the blazing building, wiping the black stain from my lips.

 "I swear to god, Logan," I say in exasperation, "I'm telling the truth!"

**"I'll be over in five, hurry and get out of the area."**

 "What about the robot?"

**"Did it follow you?"**

 "No, but-"

**"Then don't worry about it. I'll pick you up at the gas station, hoping it doesn't blow up."**

 I tighten my lips and snarl. My legs burn, as do my lungs, from sucking in all that smoke. I turn my head to look at the fire and wince. The steel frame is now engulfed in green flames, hopefully someone will blame it on a chem experiment gone wrong. I growl and sit down against a brick wall. Rushing to take off my shoes, my toes flex and curl as claws unsheathe, my talon stretching. I sigh in relief and stand back up, running on bare feet to the nearest gas station.

 Logan was already there, apparently. I open the door to his truck and slide into the passenger seat. "So," he clicks his tongue, "a giant robot?"

 "Eh, not giant," I waver. "More or less twenty feet."

 "Ah," my brother nods and drives away from the gas station. "What was it doing there?"

 I shrug and rub my face. "I think it was following me? I kept hearing footsteps behind me in the train yard, that's why I went back."

 "And you set the warehouse on fire because...?"

 "It may or may not have reached for me and chased me throughout the train yard."

 "Shit!" Logan brakes at a red light and his head slams back on the seat. He pants and looks to me. "Sorry bout that," he cringes. "But, anyways! It chased you? Why?"

 "Does it look like I know?" I hiss. "It just...looked generic, if I can even use that word. Something about it seemed manufactured, fake, uh...drone-ish?"

 "Like, government drone or-"

 "Like, "bee hive" drone," I explain. "Like...demon drone."

 "You felt that?"

 I nod, "Duh. I mean, I've experienced that kind of thing before. Taking orders, not fighting back." I bite my hand, thinking. "Sobek told me earlier today about robot sightings. I just thought it was a case of misidentification."

 Logan hums and pulls into our driveway. "Well, guess we should think over it some, then," he states. "Come on, I'll get the cases from the back. Make yourself a bowl of ice cream or whatever, you look like a boiled chicken."

 I laugh lightly and walk up the the front door. Punching in the door code, it unlocks. I open the door and make a b-line for the kitchen, opening up the freezer. I am blasted by cool air, and it takes every part of me to not crawl in and take a nap.

* * *

  
 I didn't expect the fire to make it to the news.

 "It was green!" One girl exclaims in the hall as I stomp by.

 "My dad said it smelt like burning metal."

 "I heard that the fire department couldn't even put it out."

 I growl and walk out of the school, hurrying down the steps and snapping around the corner. My back presses up against the wall and I breathe in deeply.

 It was so stupid of me to light it on fire. I didn't even get rid of the damn machine, just caused a distraction.

 I realize after ten minutes, I've been holding my breath.

 I quickly breathe out and growl. How much longer can I keep this together? Surely the government will take notice soon. If they don't, somebody else will.

 I cross my arms over my chest, about ready to pull this glamour off my torso so I can at least breathe correctly. If I can make it through one more year, I can go home. Forget about this city. Go home.

 I gaze back to the campus yard, and frown. There's a muscle car parked by the tree, as well as a motorcycle. Both look pretty damn well taken care of, if I do say so myself. But I know for sure no one here in Jasper owns something like that. Even the local street racers have absolutely horrid cars.

 "Hm," I furrow my eyebrows. Something here isn't sitting right. I twist around and start walking away from the school. I don't have time to deal with any of this crap right now.

 Not when I have more important things to care of.

 I take out my phone and turn it on, welcomed to a few messages on the screen from Miko.  
  
**_Bombastic: Molllyyyyy, why aren't you texting me back? Is it because you hate me?_**

**_How'd you know? lol_ **

**_Bombastic: Haha, funny. Wanna do something this weekedn? Shit, wekened. WEEKEND  
_**  
I snort, texting back in a flurry.  
  
**Can't. Have to study for midterms.  
**  
**Bombastic: It is literally August. I thought midterms were in November**

**Always gotta be prepared ;)**

 I stuff my phone into my pocket and bite my finger. Midterms are in November...right.... I groan and snatch my backpack off the ground, continuing on my walk away from the school.

 It's not that I don't like Miko. I do, she's hilarious, a freaking riot to be around. I just can't be honest to a human who thinks everything is a game.

 My eyes catch the car and the motorcycle I was looking at earlier driving off, the motorcycle having two riders on it. The rider at the front isn't even sitting right. I huff out air from my nose and jog across the street. This heat is really starting to get to me.

 Finally getting to a decent alley, I slip in between two buildings and duck underneath the metal sheets the are wedged in here. The other side is dark, the buildings keeping the sun from hitting that spot. My eyes glow in the shadows, lighting the area up in a faint green. As the alley opens out to a bit of a cross ways, my spine begins to twitch again.

 "What now?" I bark and snap behind me.

 My eyes widen and my breath hitches. There's a car at the end of the alley I just walked through, head lights lighting up the alley. Somehow, it looks eerily similar to the robot from last night. The coloring, the basic shapes. I swallow and take a few steps back. There's no way the car could make it through the alley, it's too narrow.

 I quickly go through the small space in front of me, crawling underneath a box and a trashcan. My hands push me through the narrow corridor, my throat already starting to ache just remembering the event last night.

 Metal scratches, clanks and whirs behind, gears shifting and locking into place. I don't dare look back, just keep running so I don't trip and fall. My ears twitch towards the direction of another noise behind me, but I slide away fast enough for whatever was behind me to miss.

 I jump out of the alley and onto the streets. Tires screech, not one but two cars speeding around the corner behind me. "SHIT!"

 I scramble to get traction, my feet sliding underneath me as I run. Can I catch a break?!

 "Out of the way!" I shout and shove a man aside, managing to dash onto the street itself. Cars honk loudly at me, the two behind me taking to the right side of the road.

 "Hey, get off the road!" Someone shouts.

 "Fuck you!" I snarl and climb on top of someone's car, sliding to the back and jumping off.

 One of the cars gets closer and closer to my lane. My legs fail me, beginning to burn and cramp. "Come on, not now," I whine, just managing to stay a few strides ahead.

 A loud, blaring horn makes my ears scream. I jump in surprise, snapping my head towards the horn. A semi pulls up close to the two cars, scraping against their sides. Trying to run them off the road.

 A revving engine snatches my attention away. "What?!" I blink as the motorcycle literally jumps over traffic and crashes onto one of the cars. I suck in through my teeth and take a hard left into the burnt train yard. I hurdle the signs blocking the area off, my feet kicking up ash from the burnt remains of what wasn't metal.

 Sliding behind a car, I duck as soon as an explosion behind me causes the ash to cloud.

 I peak under the car, crawling under so I can get a better look.

 Duplicates of the robot I saw last night stand in the middle of the train yard, hands turned into blasters.

 The motorcycle skids into view, the same noise from earlier occurring as it stands.

 "Mother of god," I whisper, hands shaking. A smaller, feminine robot leaps into the air and knocks one of the other robots down, slicing at their heads with blades on her forearms.

 I hurry and scamper off to another car as a robot flies through the air, crashing down on my former hiding spot. "What is going on?!" I say to myself, sprinting to the standing frame of the warehouse. I hide behind a pillar, hands tightly gripping my clothes. I can feel my claws hit the knuckle caps of my gloves, my heart rocketing to a probably unsafe rate.

 Another truck horn echoes in my head as the truck turns into the train yard. I cover my ears with my hands, hoping to tone down the loud noise that just exploded my ear drums.

 I open my eyes, blinking away burning tears. Immediately they widen as I try desperately to take in the scene in front of me.

 The truck, robot, whatever the hell these things were!-was large. Much larger than all the other robots. It's face is covered by some kind of battle mask, but it's eyes shown brightly in the darkening desert. Bright blue optics counters the other two's glaring red visors, showing actual emotion and not just a blank stare.

 I swallow, my neck and back starting to cramp and sear. I snarl, flexing all my muscles at once. My armor clicks across my body, helmet snapping over my face and hiding my eyes from the sun. Well, at least I'm cooled down.

 Jumping into the air at the same height as the two, I kick off the train car. My foot slams into one of the purple robots visors, sending it's heads back as it falls. I flip out of the way, jumping onto a train car. The robot hits the ground with a thud, the other freezing in shock. I spat, crouching down.

 In the two seconds it take for it to aim it's blasters, my feet already left the car. Hitting it dead in the chest, I hear a drumming noise, almost like a heartbeat, in my ears.

 These things have hearts?!

 I growl deeply and lunge forwards, unsheathing my claws and raking them across the robots neck. My claws draw up blue liquid.

 Ah. So that's what that was.

 I step on it's back and twist around. My wings stretch out and latch onto the robot's back, and as I jump over it's head, I throw the robot into a car. My wings retract into my glamour, folding up in the cramped space.

 Before I can react and twist back to my feet, I crash into the ground. A yelp scratches my throat, body tensing up. My armor retreats into the chip in my neck, releasing all the pressure on my body and the pain starts to settle. My ribs throb and shoot numbing pain through my body, my wings feel like they might have rolled out of their sockets and a pulsing headache to top it all off forces my eyes to squint. I hiss and struggle to roll to my side, body trembling.

 "Fuck," I keen and prop myself up on a plank of wood. I can't feel my back, no matter what I do. Not even the screws register as anything. I claw at the ashes and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to get myself sitting up. My visions wants to blur out so bad, my ears ringing loudly. I almost forgot the two robots still standing.

* * *

  
 Optimus's surprise when they found the vehicons tailing a human was short sighted compared to his shock seeing the human fight back. Now, she lied on the ground, clutching onto the ash that surrounded her.

 "Optimus," Arcee looks behind them, "We have to go. People are getting suspicious."

 Carefully, he picks up the girl, her eyes completely shut now. "We must bring her back to base," Optimus states. "She's injured."

 "Another human?" She questions. "We can hardly even handle three."

 Optimus ignores her and presses a digit to his audial. "Ratchet, we need a groundbridge."

**"Did you find what the cons were after?"**

 Optimus looks back down to the girl in his hand. "I believe so." He stands up fully, "Make it quick, Ratchet. She needs medical attention."

**"She?! Optimus what in the name of-?!"**

 Optimus stops the comm, bringing the girl close to his sparkchamber. "Let's go," he orders, transforming into his alt mode and speeding out of the train yard.


	3. Screws and Bolts

Optimus drives out of the ground bridge and transforms with the girl in hand. The thin teen known as Miko runs up and nearly falls off the rail leaning over. She squints her eyes and gasps. "Holy crap, what was Molly doing there?!"

 "You know her?" Arcee asks with a raise of an optic ridge.

 "By reputation," Jack says quickly. "She's the local John Bender."

 "She's my friend," Miko states firmly. "We were...we were just texting about this weekend!"

 Optimus looks at the girl in his servos and sets her down on the same platform as the three kids. Miko sprints over and slides on the ground trying to get to her. "Molly, Molly!" She shakes her shoulders. "Is she alright? What happened? How bad is she hurt?"

 Arcee was already talking to the others. "Couple Decepticons were tailing her on the street," she says. "Chased her all the way down to that warehouse."

 Ratchet, the orange and white medic, scoffs. "What would Starscream want with a human?"

 "Not sure," Arcee shrugs. "Didn't expect her to fight back. Must have exhausted the slag out of her, she collapsed right after."

 Miko pats Molly's face, hoping to wake her up.

 "Whoa, wait," the large mech, Bulkhead, steps in, "a fleshie fought back against a 'con?"

 "Didn't just fight back, she offlined one," she holds her head. "No gun, no blaster, no explosives, just threw it to the ground like it was nothing."

 Optimus puts a hand on Ratchet's shoulder, still scanning over the girl. "Ratchet, is there anything you can do?"

 He shakes his head. "You know I'm not well versed in human medicine, Optimus. Most I could do is scan for major injuries."

 The smallest of the three humans, Rafael, walks over to the girl's unconscious body. "Is she breathing?"

 "Yeah," Miko nods, "I can feel the air coming out of her nose." She puts a hand on her chest and frowns. Pressing down, she tries to feel for something, anything-

 Green eyes snap open and Molly snaps right up. A loud snarl gurgles out of her throat and she swipes at Miko's face.

 "Whoa, hey!" She shrieks and scrambles away.

 The large machines quickly spin around and take a few steps back, optics wide.

 They had humans "growl" before, Fowler didn't have the best temper. But something wasn't right with this one. The sound that came out of her mouth was guttural and animalistic.

 "Molly, hey!" Miko crawls back over and snatches her hands. "It's me! It's me, Miko!"

 The girl blinks a few times. Sharp and slitted pupils disappear back into circle as if nothing was wrong. "Miko?" She leans away. "Wait, where am I?" She looks around quickly, hands ripping out of Miko's and scratching the ground. "I was just...there were...I had..." Her breathing catches and she starts to cough violently, wheezing in between each inhale.

 "Shit, Molly, you alright?" Miko asks, ducking her head.

 Molly nods, waving her hand. "My-my bag," she says in between coughs. "Where's my...where's my bag?"

 "Uh, not, not here. Why?"

 "Water," Molly pants and holds her throat. "I need water."

 "Oh," Jack looks up and grabs his back pack. "Uh, I have some."

 Molly snatches his bag and rips it open, pulling out a half filled water bottle. "Hey!" Jack frowns.

 She pops the cap off and throws her head back as she drinks, fingers shaky. The three kids stare in amazement as she chugs what's left of the water, some spilling out of her lips and onto her shirt. Finally, she crushes the bottle and tosses it aside. With a loud exhale, Molly falls back on her arms and pants, wiping her mouth on her arm. "Shit," she pants, "it's hot."

 "Uh...yeah," Jack fixes his face before she could see his disgusted look, "I'll just take my bag back."

 "You can have it," she tosses it at him. "I didn't see anything else in there anyways."

 Jack barely catches his bag as it is thrown at him.

 Molly huffs and holds her head in both hands. "Gods, this fucking headache!"

 "There is a kid here!" Jack yells.

 "Eh?" She sneers and spots Raf. "Oh, hey bud."

 Raf shakes his head. "Molly, you don't look so good. Are you alright? Your face is really red."

 She lowers her hands and groans, squeezing her eyes shut. "Everything hurts and I think I was high for the last twenty four hours." She tugs at her shirt and grumbles. "Damn thing has ash on it now." She inches back towards the wall behind her. Her back barely touches it and she winces. "Shit, mother of-FUCK!"

 "LANGUAGE!"

 Molly growls at him, "You try falling twenty feet!" She gasps and holds her sides. "Ow, don't make me talk. Ow..."

 "Well, you did fall pretty hard," Arcee crosses her arms.

 "Yeah, no kidding," Molly scoffs. She sits in silence for a moment, tending to her side until her eyes widen. "Holy-wait, what the Hells!" She leaps to her feet and backs up, back to hyperventilating.

 "Molly, it's okay!" Miko laughs. "They're the good guys!"

 She glances at Miko for a split second before returning to stare at the huge beings in front of her. "Uh...oh...okay?" She stammers and swallows. "She..." she clears her throat and blinks a few times, eyes losing their glow again. "What are...what are you?" She knew the etiquette, if it seems sentient enough, address it as such. That rule seemingly doesn't apply to humans though.

 Optimus slowly approaches the rail. "We are Autobots. Autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron," he explains.

 Molly tightens her lips and watches him cautiously. "You're," she looks him up and down, "you're the truck from the train yard." She leans to the side, picking out Arcee from the others, "And you're the motorcycle." She looks around quickly, "Then what about the other two? If they're left out in the open-"

 "The two Decepticons are taken care of, do not worry," Optimus assures. "However, that fall must have caused great injuries. It might be best if you receive medical attention."

 "No!" Molly spits out without haste. "I don't need...a doctor or anything," she quickly quiets down. "I can sleep it off." Her eyes dart to the side and she taps her foot impatiently. "Anyways," she jerks back to reality and furrows her eyebrows, "what are you doing here on Earth? What were the other ones doing? I'm a tad bit concerned..."

 "And you are right to be so," Optimus nods. 'Our mission here on Earth is to protect mankind from the Decepticon forces. While we are uncertain why the two you encountered today would go after you, I am positive it has no good intentions."

 "Specifically mankind?" Molly questions. She holds her head and runs her fingers through her hair. "Like...Earth...or mankind in general? 'Cuz the two are very different things."

 "Don't worry, Mol," Miko jumps up and wraps her arm around Molly's shoulder. "They made sure we didn't get a scratch yesterday."

 "That wasn't what I was asking,"Molly barely whispers, hardly even registering as a breath of air. She lets her arms fall and straightens out. "And your name is..."

 Optimus gazes down at her and copies her stature. "I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots and the team here on Earth." he turns and gestures to the others. "Behind me are just few of our faction. Bumblebee, our scout, our two warriors, Arcee and Bulkhead, and Ratchet, our medic."

 Molly takes quick looks at them and the muscles in her jaw tighten. "I'm Molly," she looks back up to Optimus. "Molly Pavlas."

 Miko hugs Molly tightly, "Aren't they cool? Totally beats studying, huh?"

 Molly swallows and chuckles nervously, "Yeah...cool..." She looks away again.

* * *

 She couldn't believe it.

 She couldn't fucking believe it.

 All the spooked animals were right. There are giant, living and fighting robots on Earth. On her planet. Right in her backyard.

 It wasn't the robot part that made her more pissed.

 It was the fact that she knew exactly who was supposed to tell her about this.

 The pounding headache she'd been experiencing only worsens with the thoughts about how she was going to go about this. She didn't really make the best impression.

 Dear Hells, how was she supposed to go about this with the kids around. Rafael is too young, he shouldn't see bloodshed. Poor kid could barely handle watching her go through the dissections in Biology. And Miko...well, there is no reason to make her even more obnoxious than she usually is.

 She doesn't know the other one. Looks like a sophomore.

 She squeezes her eyes shut and hisses behind closed teeth, her back tensing up randomly. 

 "Molly, are you sure you're okay?" Raf repeats his question from earlier. "How hard did you fall on your back?"

 "Pretty damn hard," Molly says through gritted teeth and leans against the railing for support. "I'll be fine, I've been through worse."  _Far worse than you'll ever believe,_ she thinks and tries to keep down the alcohol from last night. A strange buzzing fills the side of her ear and it kind of makes the sound of her own heartbeat go away. Kind of.

 "Since the four of you now know of our existence," Optimus begins, "I fear the Decepticons, as of last night, know of yours."

 "Eh, they may of known about me for longer than that," Molly says, relaxing her shoulders.

 "What are you talking about?" Bulkhead asks.

 "That fire from last night?" She raises an eyebrow at him, eyes half lidded. "Guess who set it," Molly thumbs at herself and slumps. "One of those things was stalking me at the train yard. Caused quite a ruckus, had to set a distraction."

 "YOU SET THE FIRE?!" The kids shriek.

 "It was green!" Jack shouts.

 "N-No one could put it out," Raf stutters.

 "How'd you do it? Bug spray?" Miko grins.

 "Hush, I can't think when you're all yelling at me," Molly frowns and rolls her head back.

 She watches as the Autobots all glance at each other. Ratchet is the first to speak up. "So, you're saying that the Decepticons were already after you before we intervened?"

 "I guess," Molly turns around and shrugs. "I mean, it explains why they flushed me out of the alleys in the first place."

 "That's absurd," Ratchet scoffs. "Why would the Decepticons go after a human?"

 "Hey!" Molly barks. About to shout at him for the insult, she stops and thinks about her next few words. "I don't know why they would, I'm just saying what happened." 

 "Maybe, Ratchet," Optimus interrupts, "the Decepticons know something we don't."

 "About the human?"

 "Alright,  _robot_ ," Molly snaps. "If the fact that I have zero knowledge takes away the credibility of my statement, then I have no reason believing yours." Ratchet stares at her in shock and she smirks. "Doesn't feel good being called by a derogatory term,  _does it?"_

 She rids the air growing in her chest in a growl and turns her back.

 Optimus watches as she presses her head against a wall, grumbling to herself and only to herself, and hums. "I don't believe I've ever seen a human with green eyes before," he murmurs.

 "Tons of people have green eyes," Rafael exclaims. "Humans have eyes that are different shades of blue, brown, even green."

 "Molly's different," Jack shakes his head. "Her eyes aren't normal. It's what scares people the most at school."

 Optimus raises an optic ridge, "How so?"

 "No one has green eyes like  _that_ ," Jack says in a hushed tone.

 Molly bares her teeth, hearing every word they say.

 "Alright, stop gossiping," Miko interjects. "So, if we see an strange cars, big deal, call 911, right?" 

 "Oh, we're back on that topic?" Jack crosses his arms.

 "You're spreading rumors about my best friend to people you just met," Miko points a finger at him.

 "The fact that your best friend is two years older than you is disturbing," Jack scoffs.

 "It is best if you four remain under our watch," Optimus states. "At least, until we can determine our enemy's intentions on the planet." He looks down at the kids, then to the girl who was now paying attention.

 "Wait," Molly sneers. "You don't know why they are here?"

 Optimus shakes his head and Molly snarls. A language he did not recognize came from her lips, guttural and strange.

 "Optimus," Ratchet backs away from the large computer screen, "with all due respect, the human children are in as much danger here than anywhere."

 Molly looks at him and frowns. "I'm no child! I'm eighteen!"

 "They have no protective shell," Ratchet ignores her. "If they get under foot, they'll go...squish." He emphasizes by stepping his foot down. 

 Optimus looks to Ratchet and puts his hands on his hips. "Then, for the time being, Ratchet," he gestures, "we must simply watch our step."

 Molly raises an eyebrow, her lip quirking up into a smirk.  _Alright,_ she thinks,  _maybe it's not too bad._

Her eyes brighten and she jumps back at the sound of a loud alarm, the room flashing green from the blinking computer. 

 "What's that?" Jack asks in worry. Molly covers her ears and grinds her teeth.

 Bumblebee buzzes and beeps, earning three confused looks. Raf, however, looks to Bee with a smile. "Proximity sensor," he translates. "Someone's up top."

 "How did you understand that?" Miko asks, dumbfounded. Molly chews on her knuckle, smirking lightly. She knew that kid was smart.

 "It's Agent Fowler," Ratchet exclaims, checking camera feeds.

 A frown replaces the smirk and Molly perks up. Fowler? Where did she hear that name?

 "I thought we were the only humans who knew about you guys," Jack stammers, looking up at Optimus.

 Molly looks at him and scoffs. "My, you really are stupid," she snorts. "Take a long, hot minute and think. How close is Jasper to that missile testing site? Do you think the government wouldn't have control over something this huge? Hell, I think this is a goddamn missile silo!" A cackle barrels out of her mouth and she holds her face. "Oh, I should have seen it coming! Human bureaucracy is mediocre at best, but surely they wouldn't  _not_ have giant, transforming aliens on a strict leash!" 

 "As Ms. Pavlas has stated, quite brashly-"

 "It's just Molly."

 "-, Special Agent Fowler is our designated liaison to the outside world, your government's way of checking in on us."

 "I'm surprised they don't have you on a dissection table," Molly whispers quietly. "And yet, our fate's were switched," she snarls, the growl behind her words covering the actual sentence.

 "As he tends to only visit when there are issues," Optimus says, taking note of her small snarls and long growls, "it may be best if you do not meet him at this time."

 Molly climbs down a bolted ladder down to the floor. "You don't have to tell me twice," she says loudly, wincing at the pain in her back, and walks behind a platform. The three kids follow. "Last thing I need is an encounter with a government official whom I do not know."  

 The elevator doors on the platform they were on open just as they hide and a black man in a suit walks out. Pissed, may I add.

 Molly sucks in and tightens her lips. "Fury's brother?!" she whispers. "Oh, this is gonna be fun," she smirks and licks her lips. 

 "What'd you say?" Miko asks.

 "Nothing."

 "Eleven wrecks, forty fender-benders, a three hour traffic jam, both yesterday and today," the man rants, the Autobots stepping away as Optimus approaches him, "and, on a particular note, numerous reports of a speeding motorcycle of unknown make, a black and yellow custom muscle car and a red and blue semi," The man, Fowler, puts his hands on the rail, "So, anything you want to get off your tin chest, Prime?" His yelling just sets off alarms in Molly's head and she rubs her face.

 Yep, that's him.

 Optimus doesn't even take a breath or sigh in irritation, not that he'd need to. "We have the situation under control, Agent Fowler."

 Fowler glowers at the bot in front of him, "They're back, aren't they?"

 "If you are referring to the Decepticons, I have doubts they ever left," Optimus exclaims. "Your planet is far too valuable."

 "Damn right," Molly says, peeking around the corner.

 "Then it's time to wake up the Pentagon," Fowler argues.

 "Hear me, Agent Fowler," Optimus leans in, "We are your best, possibly your only defense against the Decepticons."

 "I'd disagree, with my prior knowledge."

 Fowler and Optimus turn to the voice and see Molly walking up the catwalk. Fowler narrows his eyes. "Who are you?" He barks. "Who is she? What is she doing here?"

 Molly smirks and chuckles, "Fowler that really hurts. I mean, I know it's been, what, four years, but you really don't remember me?" She puts a hand on her chest and blinks her eyes.

 "What are you-"

 "Look again," her eyes seem to pulse, her face turning stern as she stares and waits, tilting her head. Optimus catches a faint shimmer going through her skin, so faint his optic barely registered it.

 Fowler freezes and gulps. "Teeth..." he whispers and straightens up. "Molly, what are...uh, hm. You've gotten...bigger."

 "And you've gotten dumber," she scoffs.

 "What are you doing here?"

 "A warehouse burnt down and I caused a couple traffic accidents," she shifts her weight. "Has it really been so long that you don't recognize me?"

 "I wished longer," he rubs his face and looks at Optimus. "God, why the hell is she here? Do you know what the hell she is?!" He groans, pointing at her.

 "Wait, you know her?" Bulkhead asks.

 Molly grins, almost mischievously, half way maliciously. "Yes, I do," Fowler takes very quick steps back as Molly grows closer. 

 "Special Agent Fowler," Optimus raises an optic ridge, "this woman was pursued twice in the past two days by the Decepticons. She sustained multiple injuries today, and as Ratchet is not well versed in human medical sciences, it might be best if she went to a human doctor."

 "No!" The two shout at the same time.

 "What are you saying no to?" Fowler shouts.

 "Going to the doctor, you?" Molly growls.

 "Going to the doctor."

 "Okay, we're on the same page," Molly yells at him and smacks his hand away, which was still pointed at her. "Point that finger in my direction again and I will bite that hand off," she hisses.

 Optimus blinks in shock and Fowler groans. He claps his hands and sucks in. "Molly," he clenches his jaw, "a word?"

 He pulls Molly out of ear shout and whispers. "What in the blazing hell are you doing here?"

 "As the big guy said," she hisses back, "those Decepticons have been tailing me for days. I burnt down a warehouse because of it!" She narrows her eyes and bares her teeth. "Why didn't you tell me about this? We had a deal!"

 "Nick didn't think you'd take well," Fowler winces back. "I swear, we would've told you."

 "Nick?" Molly scrunches up her face. "Neither Nick nor you have the authority to keep this kind of information from me or the council!"

 Fowler sighs and rubs his neck, dropping his head. Molly growls under her breath and pinches her brow. "How long have they been here?"

 "Seven years, give or take."

 She raises a clawed hand and snarls, "Seven years?!"

 "You were eleven, how the hell were we supposed to tell an eleven year old that giant alien robots are on Earth?" He asks.

 "That's why I have the council!" She growls. 

 "A year into being in control doesn't mean-"

 She grabs his tie and yanks it. He chokes and she glares at him. 

 "Look," Fowler wheezes, hands on the tie trying to pull it off, "we should've told you years ago. You've done so much for us, and we can't ever repay you, really. but we wanted to make sure you could handle it, and you've proved that multiple times, and that they understood more about Earth before they met you." He grins sheepishly as the grip on the tie loosens. "So, what better circumstances, huh?"

 Molly lets go of the tie and kinks up her nose. "I would kill you where you stand if it weren't for the fact that you're brothers are practically family."

 Fowler shrinks back and loosens his tie before looking at the Autobots. "As I said!-" He picks the conversation with Optimus back up. "If this gets out of hand, I will get the military involved."

 "Hey, Fleshy!" Molly and Fowler turn to Bulkhead. "Did anyone get splattered on that highway?" Fowler's frown deepens, waiting for another reason to yell. "Team Prime knows when to use force," Bulkhead says, crushing a piece of equipment, "and how much to use."

 Ratchet yells, "Bulkhead, I needed that!"

 "Enough!" Optimus booms, sending Molly jumping once more. He turns back to the two in front of him and holds his head up. "Military involvement will only result in catastrophe. Perhaps you can condone widespread human casualties, Agent Fowler, I, however, cannot."

 "I can," Molly grumbles and Fowler snaps around, pointing a finger.

 "You don't have any voice in this matter!"

 "Technically, I do," She grins, much like a predator bares their teeth, "since, well...you already know." She glares at his fingers and bares her teeth, "Three...two..." 

 Fowler rips his hand out of the way before Molly's jaw snapped down on thin air. She chuckles, "That's what I thought."

 He glares at Optimus and turns around. "Then do us all a favor, and handle this, Prime," he sneers as he walks to the elevator, "under the radar." He takes one look at Molly as a faint shimmer goes through her, looking down at him. "Or we will."

 The elevator door closes as Molly turns around and she leans on one leg. "Fun guy, isn't he?" She scoffs with sarcasm blatant in her voice.

 "You know people in the government?" Miko asks from the floor."

 "Obviously not," she rolls her eyes and smirks.

 Optimus looks at her in suspicion. "I am...surprised at how quick Agent Fowler took to you."

 "Easiest way to shut up a bureaucrat is to know their family," Molly bites her lip and glares at the elevator door. "That lift go to the top?"

 "Yeah," Bulkhead says. "Why?"

 She looks at the shaft and hums. "No reason."

 


	4. Distractions

 I know Logan told me to stop biting my hand or I'll chew through it, but I really can't help that I'm a nervous wreck.

 Somehow, being in a silo with only three humans a five large robots is so much more overwhelming than the school.

 Why the hell am I here again?

 The pain in my head and back aren't forgotten, just sedated as I try to appear fine. Fowler's outburst certainly turned some heads, but explanations are for the few anyways. I might tell these so called "Autobots" later, if Fowler doesn't beat me to it.

 Miko keeps trying to talk to me, and I hum and nod aimlessly, but my focus is on the Autobots. Namely, Optimus. He's intimidating, to say the least. Something about him screams honor and nobility, even if he seems nothing more than a war general. 

 I tuck my legs in, sitting against the wall. He said they'd protect mankind. Not Earth, not Earth's people, mankind specifically. Would they be so willing to protect a kind who's relation with humans is slim to none and overall hostile?

 I sigh and lean my head back. I'm asking too many questions. I need to see these warriors in action before I come up with an answer.

 "Blasted Earth tech!" The medic, Ratchet shouts. I quickly perk up and tighten my lips. That was sooner than expected. "Cliffjumper's signal popped back online," he says and turns.

 My eyes track Miko and Jack as the two walk to the edge of this platform. "Who's Cliffjumper?" Miko asks. I hurry to get to my feet and stalk over to the rail.

 Optimus enters my peripheral and I take a step back. "How is that possible?" He asks.

 "It isn't," Ratchet shrugs. "Another bug, the system's chock full of them."

 I look skeptically at the screen. Back online? What the Hell does that mean?

 The motorcycle, Arcee, looks up. "If there's any chance Cliff's alive..." she glances at Optimus and Ratchet, her voice filled with hope.

 My heart drops and my eyes widen.

 Online...alive. Offline...dead.

 There was another one, wasn't there?

 "Ratchet, prepare sick bay," Optimus orders. "We may need it." He turns and walks towards the hole in the wall, literally, and the battle mask from before slides over his face.

 I frown and duck into the shadows, quickly making my way across to whatever this thing was.

 "Hey!" I hear Miko shout. "What can we do?" 

 I see Optimus look at them and freeze when he looks at me. "Remain with Ratchet," he simply put and walked to the large, dead end tunnel. It's rings glow blue, and suddenly it swirls in greens, purples and blues.

 A portal. Of fucking course, they have a portal! I crouch down and sneak along the wall, avoiding Optimus's gaze as I near the portal.

 "Autobots," Optimus yells, "roll out!"

 Oh dear, they have a battle cry.

 I quickly turn to watch as they transform and zip into the tunnel, Optimus at the front. I cuff and leap down, rushing in before the portal closes.

 Holy shit, this is bright. I shake my head and twitch my neck, my armor encasing me to keep me from having a damn seizure. I reach for the baton clipped to my side and leap onto my bike as it appears.

 I speed after the four aliens, keeping in their blind spots so they don't spot me. Kind of hard when they're all different makes, but I doubt they'd watch their rear views at the time.

 My visor fogs up after every pant, my eyes reflection glowing in my helmet. After a few meters, the portal stops, opening to the other side swirling into existence. The Autobots go through it and it starts to close.

 I slide on whatever flooring this thing has, making it through as soon as the portal closes. My feet dig into dirt as my bike dematerializes, my vision blacking out from the swift transition from bright lights to a dim cave.

 Huh, not expecting a cave. I look around and duck behind a rock. 

 The Autobots stand in position with servos turned into blasters, aiming every which way. "Hm," I peer around the rock I was hiding behind, my fingers twitchy. This cave is large, but nothing is ringing any bells. It just looks like a mine.

 "Energon mine," the big one, Bulkhead, confirms. 

 Optimus walks ahead and I follow, hiding behind rocks. "Judging by it's scale," he observes, "the Decepticons have been tunneling here for quite some time."

 I perk up, my ears twitching. Some sort of drilling sound is coming from the opposite side of the cavern, lit by a blue glow. I sneak over to a cluster of blue crystals, hiding from the Autobots. If they see me, this will be a nightmare. 

 I look over the rock and almost freeze it in surprise.

 Dozens of those drones are scattered around, collecting the blue crystals that were clustered up everywhere. Crates and carts full of the stuff lie in random spots, a few drills working and tunneling near the walls.

 "Has this been here all this time?" I whisper, biting my tongue. How come nobody knew about this? This is huge!

 Optimus grabs my attention once more by standing, walking around a rock. "Let's find Cliffjumper," he yells, though it's hard to hear over the sound of drilling. 

 Isn't this Cliffjumper dead? Well, life and death might be different for machines. 

 I prowl the shadows, watching intensely as the Autobots charge. These Decepticons look different. Instead of one visor, there's two. Must have different classes.

 I suck in and duck behind a crate when the Decepticons start to fight back, red blasts hitting the ground. Bulkhead knocks a drill to the side, crushing my crate in the process.

 "Dammit," I hiss and leap behind a cluster. Arcee and Optimus know what my armor looks like, they can't see me.

 Optimus fires his blaster and charges, his team following. "Great," I growl and hop off the cluster, chasing after. Heat burns my heel, a blasting hitting ground right behind me.

 Great, they saw me. Now what?

 I curl my fingers and growl. I don't have any weapons on me, do I? I reach for my belt and grab a switch blade. Well, I have this. I shrug and do a wall jump, flipping back and slicing through a Decepticon's throat.

 Alright, plasma edged steel works.

 I grin and hurdle over a crate, slide under a Decepticon, rip a couple claws through it's knee joint and jump from the wall onto it's helm.

 I'm surprised at how well this knife handles cutting through metal, even digging it through the 'con's head isn't shattering it.

 My visor follows Arcee as she twists a 'con's head off. Well, I know who to ask for training later. I smirk and take my baton in both hands, jumping onto the cycle as it appears.

 This would be a lot easier if I had a gun.

 The bike crashes into a Decepticon's chest and knocks it down. A quick slice through it's neck and the blue liquid seeps through it's seams.

 My hand twists the handles and I snap my eyes up. "Shit!" A drill is heading straight for me.

 I swerve to the left and dive off, crashing beside a crate.

 An even louder crash echoes through the cave. Optimus had toppled the drill. He runs over to my crate pile, skidding to a halt. I wave away the dust and dirt he picked up, looking up. Optimus looks down at me with narrowed optics. Fool, I can do that too. I retract the visor from my helmet and glare up at him.

 Another explosion snaps us away from our staring contest. I frown and look back up at him. "Well, they aren't gonna fight themselves, are they?" I ask, putting my visor back on. I straddle my bike once more and speed off.

 He follows as I ride ahead, dodging a few Decepticons and managing to knock one down. 

 I speed up, riding alongside the others as they charge towards the next wave of cons in vehicle mode. The blasts ring in my ears and sweat drips down my forehead. I sigh and split off from the group, riding up a ramp. The buzz of my bike is overpowered by the sound of metal a few meters away, but it's faint enough to focus on.

 I tighten my grip on my bike and fly off the ramp, crashing into the cons that were still standing. My bike lands roughly, jostling my head. "Remind me to put stabilizers on this thing," I snap at myself, veering away from a drill and in front of the others. My finger presses a toggle, a light ribbon appearing behind my bike. I tilt one way, creating a wall of plasma in between us and the cons so we can get ahead. As fast as I can, I circle back around a group of cons, corralling them in a wall of plasma.

 Plasma that amputates one of their legs and leaves them bleeding out.

 We steer into the largest part of the cavern, a huge upwards tunnel with a tube running the height of it. Metal platforms jut out of the walls, with more clusters embedded in the rock.

 The Autobots pull over and transform, hiding behind a rock. I huff and jump off, hiding behind a rock not far from them. I clip my baton to my side once more, glancing at the Autobots but not looking at them.

 Arcee frowns but looks back at the opening.

 I hardly even knew robots could whistle if it wasn't for Bulkhead. "Quite an operation," he exclaims.

 Almost on cue, the cons turn their heads and begin to shoot at us. "Seriously?" I yell, hurdling over the rock I was hiding behind. The Autobots take cover behind a stack of crates, while I skip from rock, to crate, to rock.

 Bright light blinds me and sends me flying backwards. The heat rips through my armor and makes it fall apart, my spine twitching harshly. The pain in my head and back returns, something sharp ramming against my neck as I bounce around. "Fuck..." I grunt, rolling to my stomach. My hair falls in front of my face as I blink, the blurriness going away. I pant, propping myself up on one arm.

 My eyes dart around, the only real focused thing being Optimus, staring at me with wide optics. I bare my teeth and snarl. "Alright, now I'm pissed."

 Shivers run down my spine and through my limbs, pain flaring in both my back and head. With a flex of my fingers, dark talons pierce the glamours covering my fingers. With a crack of m pack, my wings rip out instead of folding out of the glamour slits, claws stretching out of their confines. I puff out smoke, rearing up on my hind legs.

 Stepping out of the dust and smoke with drawn out snarl, my tongue snakes out of my mouth and licks my lips. I look down at the Decepticons and my allies, whose eyes have grown in shock or fear, both are very rational reaction. My nostrils flare, eyes gleam and my mouth pulls up in a smirk. "Didn't expect that?" I purr. "Didn't you?"

 I roar loudly and stab my tail through the nearest drone, merely flicking my hand and knocking more over. With a couple snaps, I rip out some wires from the drone's chest and sling him to the wall. Blasts barely miss my head and I snap my neck around. "Poor choice," I hiss and tackle the two cons, crushing their helms between my claws.

 I swivel my head and spot the Autobots. They seem a bit overwhelmed. I leap into the line of fire and lodge my teeth into a Decepticon's shoulder, throw them around a bit then smash them into the wall.

 "Giant fire breathing reptile," Bulkhead chuckles nervously. "Who knew?"

 I smirk devilishly and grab a Decepticon by the head with my wing, chucking them at a group of drones. "I did," I open my mouth and spit out a ball of black, the stuff blinding a con before I ripped it's head off.

 Several blasts near my head, hitting the wall instead. I shield my face and lower my wing, licks of fire escaping my mouth. Standing a bit a ways, Arcee looks up to a platform. Her optics widen and she shouts, "It's Cliff! I have a visual!"

 "Go!" I bark.

 "We'll cover you," Optimus nods.

 I take out the cons blocking her path, spreading my wings after she passed. My jaw locks as I bite down on a drone, tearing off their limb and spitting it out. "Who else wants a piece?" I growl and lunge forwards. My talons scraping against metal is an awful feeling, making my teeth jitter.

 A shot of red flashes by my eyes, hitting a platform above me. I back away. The slab of metal falls, beams of red and blue shooting every which way. Arcee is up there holding onto something red, losing her grip. 

 My attention dashes between her and Prime, but I choose Prime, leaping onto a con that was about to fire at him, when...laughing makes everything stop.

 I crane my head, catching a thin silver mech walk out of the darkness. "Prime!" He shouts. "I'd stick around, but I'm squeamish."

 He holds out an object and drops it, beeping following it as it falls. The robot dives headfirst into the tunnel, transforms into a jet and flies up the cavern.

 "The joint's gonna blow!" Bulkhead shouts.

 I look up quickly as I realize what that mech just dropped.

 "Autobots, roll out!" Optimus commands.

 "No time for a shift," I yell, tucking my wings and flying into the tunnel, the Autobots close behind. I shield them with my wings, the explosion shaking the cavern.

 "Ratchet, bridge us back!" Optimus yells into what I guess is a communication device. "Use the arrival coordinates now!" I narrow my wings, speeding up. The air around me howls and claws at my face. The portal opens up and I fly in, tightening my wings to where they hugged my body. Once inside, I speed up, the blast still on us like flies on a carcass.

 Before I know it, we're in the base. I shift almost painfully fast, landing on a platform. I pant a hold tightly to the rail, watching as Optimus back springs into the base, the blast close behind him. "Show off," I grumble and hold my head. "God, I'm gonna have this headache for a week." I backpedal into the shadows, behind the large devices connecting to the monitors.

 The kids say their remarks, too distracted by the blast to have noticed me fly in.

 "Cutting it a bit close," Ratchet frowns. "How about Cliffjumper?"

 All the bots look down in grief. I swallow and look to the wall. That must have been him. The one Arcee was trying to hold on to.

 Miko has to cut in at the worst time. "Was that an explosion? Was there a fight?" She asks excitedly. Not the time, Miko, not the time. Luckily, the boy, Jack pulls her away before she can say anything else.

 I rest against the nearest rail, watching Arcee come up from behind Optimus, holding her arm.

 "Arcee," Optimus looks down, "what did you see?"

 "Not Cliff," she holds both arms and looks away. "At least, not anymore. He was mutated, butchered like something from those con experiments during the war." She groans, collapsing to her knees. Bee buzzes and jerks forward, but she holds her hand up. "I'm fine, just dizzy."

 My eyes widen and I cover my mouth, quickly turning away. Just the word experiments is enough to...

 I swallow back acid and wipe my forehead.

 Miko's voice catches my ear, and I look at her from the haven of my separate platform. "Robots who get dizzy?" she said in confusion.

 "Robots with emotions," Rafael adds.

 "Robots who can die," Jack realizes.

 For some off reason, I feel...disgusted. They are just like any creature on the planet, at least in spirit and heart. I've only known them for an hour or so and suddenly I feel for them.

 I look back over at Ratchet, who started scanning Arcee. The scanner glows red when it passes over her hand and he hums. "What is this?"

 She lifts her hand up and from what I can see, she has a splatter of purple liquid on her hand. "Don't know," Arcee holds her head with her other hand. "Cliff was covered in it, leaking it."

 Ratchet uses a scalpel to scrape some of it off. "Go take a decontamination bath, now."

 I walk a bit closer to the three kids, seeing Jack take out his phone. "O-Optimus," he stammers, "I-I hate to bug, but, no bars."

 "A security precaution," Optimus states, turning to the kids. "The silo walls isolate all radio waves."

 My blank face turns to a frown. That's gotta get fixed.

 "Well," Jack says "in a matter of fact", "if I don't call my mom, like, now, I'm pretty sure the cops will be out looking for me." 

 Optimus leans closer, abruptly. "Have you broken a law?"

 "Uh," Jack shrugs, "curfew? It's after ten pm."

 "I better get home, too," Raf perks his head up, "or I'll be grounded for a year."

 "Earth customs," Optimus blinks, "I hadn't considered." He stands up fully. "But the issue of your safety remains." He looks to the other Autobots. "Bulkhead, accompany Miko home-"

 "Awesome," she cheers. "My host parents will freak!"

 "-And maintain covert surveillance in vehicle form."

 "Curbside duty. Got it," Bulkhead nods.

 Miko groans, dropping her head. I chuckle, crossing my arms while leaning against the rail.

 "Bumblebee," Optimus continues, "you will watch over Rad." His gaze wanders and falls on the medic. "Ratchet-"

 "Busy!" 

 I snicker. As if that mech would take a baby sitting gig.

 Arcee steps out of the machine she was in, right in the line of Optimus's sight. "Arcee, you'll accompany Jack," Optimus states. 

 She wobbles on her feet and sighs. "Still dizzy."

 "You're fine," Ratchet exclaims while typing on a monitor, "says your physician."

 Optimus hums and looks back to the kids. "And Molly..." he blinks a few times, looking around.

 "Over here," I whistle and raise my hand.

 He looks at me and pauses, his expression changing just the slightest. "And Molly," he repeats, "I will be your guardian."

 I hum and nod, mouthing "I'll explain in a moment."

 He nods in understanding.

 Bulkhead, Arcee and Bumblebee transforming, allowing Miko, Jack and Raf to be taken home.

 I look up at Optimus and roll my shoulders. "Before you open and your mouth and start asking questions," I say just as he is about to speak, "I need to get my bag from the train yard."

 Optimus looks at me in thought and approaches the rail. "I will tell Arcee to pick it up on her way back," he says. I guess my explanation requires everyone to be here. "There is still the matter of your injuries."

 "Of course," I cross my feet behind me. "But if you want another word out of my mouth, I need that bag."

 


	5. So much for subtlety

 I tap my foot rather impatiently on the floor, pacing along the platform. It wasn't curiosity that killed the cat, it was anxiety, god dammit. So far, I've denied a scan, a DNA reading and had to give a quick excuse on why I don't exist anywhere in the world of government census. Not my fault I don't have a social security number, all the better to keep my identity with.

 Arcee better find my bag, or else I will be labeled as crazy by the fucking aliens and will have to rely on Fowler's word. Which isn't a credible source, mind you.

 "Jack mentioned something about a reputation you had at school," Optimus breaks my steady pace. "What did he mean by that?"

 "Don't know," I say. "I don't know the kid. Sure, I've gotten into plenty fights on campus and it's a small town, but it isn't like I've killed someone yet. Boy's a sophomore, and underclassmen like to make up shit."

 "Underclassmen?"

 "Sophomore?"

 "Oh dear," I rub my face. "Okay, in high school, well, human high school, here in the US, they have different names for ninth through twelfth grade. Freshman, sophomore, junior, senior. I'm a senior, which means come April, I'm out of the system. Rafael is a freshman, which I don't understand 'cuz he's twelve, but whatever. Miko and Jack, I assume, are both sophomores." I massage my head, closing my eyes for a second. "Can't believe I have to explain human stuff to aliens when I'm not even human," I grumble.

 "Heard that," Ratchet pipes up, looking at the largest computer screen.

 I glare at him and lean my face on my arm again. "I can take a guess of what Jack meant by "reputation." I don't typically talk to anyone, except Miko and a couple seniors. That, or he's talking about how I beat the living crap out of this redhead, Vince. Dude's a prick." I scoff and flex my fingers, unsheathing talons for a second.

 Optimus frowns, "Do you have any trouble with the law?"

 I look up at him with a straight face. "Not locally, no," I shrug and pop my knuckles one by one. "Nevada, in general? Maybe arson and a couple murders that they can't prove that I did. They weren't good people anyways, I'm not killing people for the fun of it." I hum and scrape some dirt from under my nails. "My brother, though? I think Nevada is one of four states he's allowed in now. Only way we get away with stuff is through long road trips and some serious government ties. He's been in every state jail I can think of, but that's before he met me." I chuckle lightly.

 "Not necessarily something to be proud of," Optimus frowns further.

 I nod. "Oh, no, my eldest brother doesn't like him much. He's more of a scholar, Draco is. They're always at it about how I've been raised, but I still love them." I look at my nails and then glance at the portal. "The...bridge, you called it," I hum, leaning completely on the rail, "does it run off of wormhole or rift physics?"

 "What?" Ratchet gives me a quizzical look.

 "Y'know...well, you probably don't," I sigh and run my fingers through my hair. "Uh, so does it work like how wormholes create a door in space-time to create long distance travel faster and then i seamlessly closes said door, or does it rip through the planes and create kind of a vortex that takes a lot more energy to close?"

 Ratchet blinks a few times, staring at me. "I...guess the wormhole mechanic."

 "Huh, interesting," I nod. "I typically only use the pane method, a lot more easier on the head, but I assume being extraterrestrial beings would require something a lot more powerful to travel through the vacuum of space."

 I look back at Ratchet, who is now staring at me with a variety of confusion. "You understand the laws of space bridge mechanics?'

 "I understand how multiple portals work," I raise an eyebrow. "It's transportation 101."

 Roaring engines echo from the small tunnel in front of the room, making me look up. "Oh look, they're back." I push my hair out of my face and jump from one platform to the next, getting more room.

 "Did you get my bag?" I ask as Arcee transforms.

 She holds up an ash covered backpack, "It was under a train car."

 I reach for it as she hands it to me, snatching it away on accident. "Thank you," I blurt, digging through my backpack for a water bottle. Thankfully, I had a jug. I lift the jug out with one hand and unscrew it with the other. throwing my head back, I chug a good part of it.

 "Again with the water?" Ratchet asks. 

 I throw my head back down and wipe my mouth, closing the jug. "It's hot and I come from Siberia," I rasp. I set the jug onto the floor and stand up, putting my bag up on a flat surface. "Apologies," I chuckle, "I just can't really do much with humans around, I'm sure you understand." I snap my gloves off and throw them into the bag, further flexing my talons out. 

 Untying my shoes was an unnecessary hustle, but they came off. My toes scream as I flex them, but a pop later and they're fine. The scythe like claw on each foot taps on the ground. 

 "Not even gonna explain what happened at the mine?" Bulkhead asks.

 "I'll get to it," I say, waving my hand. "Just let me catch my breath for a moment." I swallow and huff, "Alright, so, the mine-"

 "You turned into a giant reptile that breathes fire," Arcee puts a hand on her hip. "Is that normal?"

 "For me, yeah," I nod. "For humans, no."

 "Safe to assume you're _not_ human?" Ratchet raises an optic ridge.

 "Yes, and calling me so is offensive," I cross my arms. "I have worked too hard to be called a human every day of my life." 

 "So if you're not human, what are you?" Bulkhead asks. Optimus just simply watches, but I think I caught him looking at my sixth claw a couple times.

 "I don't know," I shrug. "Not human. Animalian, shapeshifter, who knows? Definitely not me."

 "Wait," Arcee furrows her optic ridges, "you...don't know what you are?"

 "Slow down," Ratchet puts a hand up. "Claiming you are not human is one thing, but you still look like a human, so what's the difference?"

 "You didn't see her, Ratchet," Bulkhead says. "Girl doesn't fight like a human. She had scales, wings, breathed fire, for slag sake!"

 I pause and curl my hand. I rub my face and huff. "Well, seeing is believing, right?" I sneer and poke around in my mouth, my claw wedging under the retainer. The taste of probably day old chicken and broccoli makes me gag as I pull the thing out and snatch the cover on my tongue with it. My ribs ache as I cough, my tongue rolling out of my mouth as I pant. "Finally!" I snarl and clear my throat. "It's been forever! I can finally talk!"

 "Excuse me for a moment," I shout, literally pulling at my skin. "But I am so tired of wearing these glamours and sleeves, I feel like I haven't seen my actual skin in weeks." With a grit of my teeth and a pull of my shirt, I'm shirtless but still far from actually showing any skin. I wonder if I can get these all in one go. I growl and thumb at the nearly invisible seam on my stomach and pull.

 The edges lose their illusion, the translucent yellow and green hexagons reappearing as I stretch the film. I pull it over my head, but for some reason, it drags against my back like it doesn't want to come off. A sharp tug later and it releases. Air actually floods my lungs instead of squeeze through. I breathe in deeply and throw the glamours to the ground. Finally, bliss. I bite my lip and stretch my arms out all the way, my wings stretching far beside me. "That's better," I sigh and wipe the relief tears on the corners of my eyes.

 Loud buzzing and exhausted beeping makes me turn. Bumblebee is holding his head, optics wide. "Something wrong?"

 "He said stop with the surprises," Arcee translates. She claps her hands together and her eyes do a once over. "I knew I wasn't crazy, you used those wings to throw the vehicon to the ground."

 "Indeed I did," I grin and flex my wing's muscles. "I find it adds extra force to the throwing of things." I push my hair back and turn fully. "Now...where was I? Oh!" I snap my fingers. Slowly, I reach to my neck and hiss, cringing. "Oh...guess you guess  _do_ deserve an explanation, huh?"

 "Since you just ripped of your skin, yes, we need an explanation!" Ratchet rubs his face.

 "Told you," Bulkhead smirks. "Not human."

 I nod and cross my wings around me. "That wasn't my skin. They're glamours. Micro tech built with plasma, carbon and the stuff that's inside a succulent. Absorbs the light reflected off of other objects to mimic them and then stores the memory into the plasma. It's like an invisibility cloak, except it can mimic so much more than just the area around you."

 I stretch once more and sigh. "So...the mine...uh, yeah, that was something else." I rub my neck and shrug. "Those fights always like that?"

 "Most of the time," Arcee nods. 

 "You guys look at me as if I shouldn't have been there," I growl.

 "You really shouldn't've," Bulkhead frowns.

 "It was ill advised to accompany us," Optimus finally speaks up. "If you had further injured on our watch-"

 "But I wasn't," I say. "I'm fine."

 Arcee looks up to Optimus. "I think she can handle herself, Optimus. I mean, those scars kind of say a lot."

 I cross my arms and growl. "These," I gesture to my body, littered in scars from bites, scratches, slashes and stab wounds, "aren't even the worst of them. I use all kinds of glamours and sleeves to cover a lot of the bad ones. That one right there happened maybe five times over, from how many times it reopened and closed." I point to the long scar running from my chest to my waist.

 "Where'd you get all them?" Bulkhead asks, raising an optic ridge.

 "Training, mostly," I shrug. "Battles, competitions, people trying to challenge me. One of these is actually from when I got my arm shoved into a wood chipper," I hold my arm up and point at the cascading shreds down my arm.

 "Battles?" The medic frowns. "What kind of battles are you talking about?"

 "The same kind you just fought," I nod to the groundbridge. My arms go to hold themselves and I avert my gaze. "You aren't the only ones fighting a war. Humans just don't know it."

 The loud sound of Optimus coming closer makes me raise my head. "Are you saying Fowler-"

 "Has been lying to you? Yes," I hold my chin up and jump onto the rail. "Lied to me, lied to you, lied to the government he works for. Fowler lies only on few occasions." My neck cracks loudly as I roll my head around. "When he's trying to cover for someone else. In this case, he was covering you guys when he lied to me. And he was covering me when he lied to you."

 "Why would he need to lie about you?" Arcee asks. "Sure, you aren't human, but what's so special about that?"

 "It's not the non-human part," I hold my hands up. "It's the part that those fools back at the train yard care so much about. Connections." I shrug and my wings spread out a bit. "See, if I didn't have information, why would they spend all that trouble going after me in the first place?" I start to walk back and forth along the rail, footing precise, and biting my talons. "I don't know how they found out, though. There shouldn't be any records or files out with that information, and Animalia's internet codes are locked up tight."

 "Animalia," Ratchet mumbles and looks up at me again. "Where's that?"

 "Siberia," I wave him off. "Technically, Animalia is a unification of the planet's fauna and the races rather than a solid country." I look at them and ruffle my hair in frustration. "Don't try asking the kids, they don't know. Never will, never have, unless I say anything."

 "Why wouldn't they?" Arcee asks very slowly.

 "Humans are difficult, as y'all well know," I laugh nervously. "Back, maybe a century before the Black Death, we wiped humanity's knowledge of Animalia, right down to their very memories. They were very stubborn, didn't listen to reason or pleas of help. Best if they just didn't know anymore." I shake m head, "In retrospect, humans don't know much about their own planet, which means you don't know much about our planet, even less than humans." I sit down and cross one leg over the other, wings hooking on the rails. "Oh, look at me," I grind my teeth and try to muse myself, "I'm slipping out more details than a bureaucrat in a strip club."

 "Then, slow down," Optimus's voice is easier to process than my own thoughts. 

 I swallow and switch my legs. "Can you even comprehend the measures we go to hide? The glamours, the vales, the magic, all of it costs so much and with the ever growing fear of pollution and human's urbanization, we have less and less places to go."

 "Pfft, magic," Ratchet scoffs and turns to the screen. "No such thing."

 I snap my head around and sneer. With a fake yawn, I bare my teeth as much as I can. "I'd love to hear you say that in front of the fae," I purr. "They'd probably turn you into a giant toadstool."

 I turn back around and look at my talons, furrowing my eyebrows.

 "Wait...are you serious?"

 "As a heart attack," I click my tongue and reach into my pocket. "Everything is on here, from the the tiniest, minute detail," I raise the flash drive and spin it. It wasn't a cheap piece of plastic with a small little plug at the end of it, no.  This thing looked more alien than the ones in front of me. I pluck it out of my hands with two of my wing's talons and reach to the monitor usb port. Sliding it in, hearing the click and pulling my wing back, my eyes transition to the screen. "Open the pop up, screen should turn blue."

 "I still don't understand," Optimus shakes his head. "If there are others like you, why would the Decepticons go after you specifically?"

 "There are none like me," I say in a low growl. "I am the second of my kind, first of my blood and first of my flame. Animalia is a powerful kingdom and I, by myself, have ten times the knowledge and power of the humans you are so accustomed to."

 "What are you, a general?" Arcee asks, a smirk forming on her face.

 No, that won't do.

 That won't do.

 I stand up and stretch out my talons, my lips pulling up over my teeth and baring the monstrosity of a mouth inside my skull. "Far from that," I grin and raise an eyebrow. "I'm the Queen."

 Oh good, everyone jumped. I always love reactions like this. Even Optimus blinks a couple times.

 Bulkhead clears his throat, "Queen?"

 "Technically, they've been calling me 'High Queen-Empress', but that's a mouthful when you add everything else."

 "Impossible," Ratchet says with wide optics.

 "Just ask Fowler," I shrug. "I mean, there's enough information to last you a few questions on that drive, but you'd take Fowler's word over mine."

 "But you're...young!"

 "Eh."

 Optimus asks, "How do we know what you claim isn't false?"

 "You said it yourself," I exclaim. "Why would the Decepticons go after me if I was lying?"

 "Still," Arcee contemplates. "Even as a queen, why would Starscream care?"

 "Animalia isn't a country," I repeat. "It's a unification of all beings on Earth, excluding humans. Already, our masses are far more than human population, and that's only the species humans know and recognize. Everything from underworldly beast to monsters of the air fit into Animalia. We've overpowered human society in technological and scientific advancements and have a better understanding of power humans refuse to accept. Hells below, we've already had a war over this! And after that, humans don't have any knowledge we exist. Imagine what we could do if we really wanted to get rid of humans." I hold my hands out and tilt my head.

 I sigh and mess with my talons. "Look, I'd love to explain everything, really," I huff and take a few steps/ Ratchet had started to slowly open the drive's files, the screen turning blue. "At first, yeah, I did not want to trust you guys. Aliens are a big 'no-no' right now, and humans and animalians have never really gotten along. But you seem to actually care for this planet, and I have to make sure my people are safe." I rub my face and breathe out. Damn, I've been talking a lot.

 Optimus leans close to the rail. "Your caution is understandable," he says in assurance. "I have little doubt that you are who you claim, as Fowler does not react to most people as he did with you."

 I hum, head beginning to hurt once again. I turn to the screen. "There's a file in there on my genetics and molecular structure," I point out. "Somewhere there are some medical records, studies, a couple background reports and testimonies from multiple colleagues of mine."

 Ratchet nods slowly, "This is helpful."

 I lazily smile and yawn once again, my mouth opening wide before locking in place. "Is it alright I leave now?" I ask. "I can safely say this has been one of the most stressful days of this years." I grab my bag and stuff everything in, putting my shirt back on and my shoes.

 Optimus nods his head and my feet leave the floor as he scoops me up in his palm. I tense up and suddenly I'm jostled around, metal rearranging around me.

 I land in a leather seat and my eyes stare back at me in the window. I rub my face, checking to see if I'm still together in one piece. "Well, now I know what my organs feel like," my talons scratch my face, and I think my toes punctured the sole of my shoes.

 Again.

 Optimus begins to drive down the narrow tunnel, "Are you alright?" I jump and look at the radio.

 "Uh, yeah," I shake my head quickly. "That was just unexpected." My laugh is a lot quieter than earlier.

 "I did not mean to cause for alarm."

 "No, no," I hold my hands up, "I'm fine, really." My face loosens and I look out the window once we exit the base. The desert is bathed in a purple glow, the trees of the nearby forest blacked out amongst the sky. I sigh heavily at the colors and lean  m head on my shoulder.

 "Is something wrong?" He asks.

 "I haven't gone out at night in a long time," I say. "It's beautiful when the sun isn't out."

 My breath fogs up the window. "I've never noticed," he hums.

 I look at the radio and smile softly. Out of the thick pressure coming from several people, I actually can relax a bit now. "You gotta get out more," I murmur. "There's a lot of this planet you've probably missed." I spy the harsh lights of Jasper and frown, leaning back into the seat. "You're going to take a turn on Main Street," I state.

 Once we make it into the city, he turns when I say 'here'. "Do you live close to the others?" Optimus asks after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

 "Hm? Oh, no," I shake my head. "Miko lives in an apartment complex and Raf lives maybe a minute from the canal. I don't know Jack, but knowing most kids, he probably lives in the subdivision just east of the school. I live closer to-turn here."

 Optimus makes the turn and I rub my face tiredly. "You said you lived with your brother?" He questions, trying to keep the conversation going.

 I nod and yawn again. What is it? Ten, maybe eleven o'clock? "Yeah, Logan. He's actually my adopted brother, he found me, well, heh, we found each other. I'll have to tell you the story if I stay long enough."

 "Stay?"

 I roll my neck around, "Once I'm done with school, I'm going back home."

 "To...Animalia?"

 "The Capital, yes," I mess with my knuckles. 

 He hums. "Well, I wouldn't mind hearing about how you met your brother, or Animalia, for that matter."

 I smile and almost my house. "Right here," I grab my bag from the floor and look up.

 Optimus stops in front of my house, pausing before letting me out. "Thanks," I murmur and jump down, walking to my front door. I stop. Turning back around, I wave goodbye, punch in the door code and walk in.

 Closing the door behind me, I drop my bag. "What have I gotten myself into?"

 


	6. Enter The Reflection

  **MEEP**

**MEEP**

**MEEP**

Tell me, when's the last time you've had a full day's sleep?

 I haven't slept well in months.

  **MEEP**

**MEEP**

**MEEP**

Fucking hell, he didn't! 

 What caused Logan to drag thing out of the trash?!

  **MEEP**

**MEEP**

**MEEP**

I growl into my pillow, reaching my arm out and slamming my fist on something metal. "Wanted to torture me, huh, Logan?!" I yell, burying my face into my pillow again.

 Maybe I can get a few winks more-

  **MEEP**

**MEEP**

**MEEP**

"Goddammit Logan!" I scream and throw my comforter off. My eyelid twitches as I spot the crushed alarm clock and I chuck it at the wall.

 The meeping doesn't stop, even when the clock has pieces jutting out of it.

 With a hiss, I focus and twitch my ears.

 It's coming from someplace else.

 Searching the entire floor, my knees hit the ground as I duck to check under the bed. "Ah ha!" I grin. "There you are, ye bastard." I swipe the alarm clock and turn it off. "Logan, you bitch!" I roar, sprinting down the stairs and rip the door open to the house. 

 I freeze in the doorway. "Logan?"

 Huh, usually he's up by now. I furrow my brows and walk inside, heading for the kitchen.

 "Logaaaan," I call out, stepping into the kitchen. "I'm going to beat the shit out of you!"

 A note is tapped to the fridge. I frown and swipe it off, reading the sloppy script. "Had to go to Xavier's," I read out loud, "hope you had fun waking up-" I snarl and groan and the same time. "Typical, real typical." Crumbling up the note and throwing it to the ground, I lean against the counter with my hand in my mouth.

 Alright, I'm just going back upstairs.

 I turn and slam the house door shut. Jasper isn't a big city and certainly isn't the kind of place where you'd find big houses in. Lots of land, however. Logan barely managed to "buy" this house (a few forged documents and a truck later, we lived here), and lucky us, we had our own huge metal building. The house itself only had one bathroom and two bedrooms, one being the master's that Logan so inconveniently claimed before I stepped foot in the house and the room we used for yelling at each other.

 Which is fine, my setup in the garage is nice.

 I walk into the kitchen under the loft, open a cabinet and grab a box of cereal. Fruity O's!, the off brand Fruit Loops. I open it up and just pour it straight into my mouth. Reaching for the mini fridge with my foot as I close the cereal box and put it up, I reach down for the milk and pour that in too.

 "Breakfast!" I try to cheer with my mouth full, but surprise, I start choking. "Oh, bad idea!" I cough, quickly chewing and swallowing. I stumble a bit on my way back upstairs, crossing the bed to the bathroom. I cough one more time, "Alright, what's the damage?"

 My eyes meet with a tangled up mane and a pale, sunken in face. I slump and groan. My hair is sticking up in random places, the suitcases under my eyes about to leave the airport and even my eyes are bit discolored. The bruises on my neck and back have faded, thank god, but it's still tense. I pick up a brush and glare at my reflection. "If I don't cry doing this, then today is a win."

 I cried several times.

 After getting my hair  _mostly_ brushed, I proceed to braid two braids out of my face so I'm not spitting hair out all day, since obviously a pony-tail did not work yesterday. I twist the faucet handle and throw some water on my face, hoping to chill myself back down to think.

 Yesterday was, in simple terms, a wreck. I rub my face and lean my head on the mirror. First, aliens, then revealing myself to said aliens, and to top it all off, I didn't eat dinner.

 I step back with a groan and stomp back into my room. The clothes hangers on the cheap metal rack I have clatter against each other as I shove them aside, looking for a shirt or something to wear. I have gotten away with just a shawl before.

 Probably should put on a glamour first. I curl my fingers and scream into my hands. Quickly, I stomp back into the bathroom, throw on several glamours to cover the hellscape of my flesh and almost rip the ones on my face trying to put my retainer in while I rush back out again. 

 As I look through my clothes, trying to predict a. what I am doing and b. how hot it will be, I hear a loud but brief honk outside the garage door. I jolt and raise an eyebrow. It's 7 in the morning, who the hell is up on a Saturday?

 I quickly make it down the steps, stopping for a moment to listen. Slowly, I walk to the garage door and press down on the button. The ceiling rattles as the door opens just enough for me to fit through. "Optimus!" I squeak and perk up. "What are you doing here? It's hardly past daybreak!"

 He doesn't reply for a few seconds and a part of me is a little self conscious. I didn't miss a spot, did I? "Well, as the other Autobots are with the humans," he begins, "I thought I could come and pick you up early, if you aren't doing anything."

 I rest a hand on the side of the doorway, looking around and making sure none of the neighbors are out. I realize I've been quiet too long and shake my head. "Uh, sorry, I just woke up, still kind of dazed out."

 "Did I wake you?"

 "No," I chuckle, "my asshole of a brother set an alarm and made me look for it." I rub my eyes and stretch, "I'll be out in a minute."

 I turn back around and walk up to my room for the final time, throwing on a backless tank and a pair of yoga pants.

 I grab my shoes, can't forget those, and close the garage behind me. "Alright, let's get this show on the road," I huff, opening his passenger door and jumping in. Who needs steps?

 "You forgot your shoes."

 "No, I have them" I raise my hand. I slip on the laceless gym shoes and poke my talons through them. "There we go," I chirp. "I guess I'm not going out today, so I can actually wear something comfortable."

 "What about the children?" Optimus asks.

 Shit, I think and groan. "I forgot," I smack my face and lean back in the seat.

 "I can turn back around if you want."

 "No, no, it's fine," I wave my hand with a sigh. "I'll just tuck them."

 "Tuck them?"

 I roll my back out of it's little cricks, "I bend my toe as far back as it can go and bind it to my heel."

 "That sounds painful."

 I shrug, "You get used to it after tearing a tendon or two."

 "Speaking of your...talons," he says. "I've noticed most creatures on this planet have the same number of digits on both their hands and feet, but you have five on your hands-"

 "Oh, I'm polydactyl," I sit up and pull my foot up. Taking my shoe off, I stretch toes out. "It's a mutation where you end up getting extra toes or fingers." I point to the toe on the outside of my foot. "That little bugger widens my foot spread by two inches and is surprisingly helpful with balance. I shove my wing up slightly out of the glamour and pull out my wing's digits. "I have it in my wings too. One's opposable, the others are like regular fingers on a hand, so I can pick things up with them." I slip my wing back into the slit and stretch. "I got it from my dad, he had two extra toes on each paw, his print was larger than my head!"

 "Odd," he hums, "I expected it to be the talon."

 "Hm?" I tilt my head. "Oh! You mean, yeah!" I stretch the oversized claw out and curl it. "This one's weird. It's like a velociraptor claw...which you don't know what that is, but it's handy at fighting and holding onto things."

 "So it is a natural weapon?" He questions, interest in his voice.

 "Yep," I wink. "I just kick my leg up and slash. Or jab. It's good for jabbing."

  **"What is good for jabbing?"**

"Yah!" I jump and cover my ears. "Good gods, Kyra! You gave me several heart attacks!"

 The cougar on the line chuckles.  **"Apologies, Your Majesty, I just wanted to inform you of the reports of-"**

"Giant metal robots in my area?" I question and put my shoe back on.

  **"Yes, did Sobek already tell you?"**

I look at Optimus's radio and bite my lip. "Something like that," I press my finger to my ear piece and click my tongue. "Kyra, I'm busy, so..."

  **"Of course. Message me when you return to The Capital."**

The comm beeps off.

 "Who was that?" Optimus asks as I rub my face.

 "Council representative for North America, Kyra Ivythorne," I explain. "She oversees the Northern America districts and people. Word's gotten out-"

 "Did you tell anybody?" he asks urgently.

 "No!" I shake my had really fast. "Before I got attacked at the train yard the first time, my head general, Sobek, called me about panicked soldiers out on the other side of The Rockies who said they saw giant robots drilling in a mine." I raise an eyebrow. "You can hide from humans, but you can't hide from birds."

 Optimus hums in acknowledgment. "No, I suppose we could not avoid that."

 I shake my head lightly, "I'm surprised you did for seven odd years. I made the deal with Fowler and his brothers to tell me about any alien influences three weeks before I was crowned."

 "When were you crowned as queen?"

 "I was ten," I say. "The Young Queen, they called me. The council simply couldn't wait any longer, they already went ten years without a queen and they had no authority to command the military."

 "What happened to the queen before you?" He asks, turning onto the highway.

 I shrug. "Killed by some beast the day I was born. As did my dad."

 "My condolences. I'm sorry for-"

 "It's okay," I laugh. "I didn't know them at all."

 I look out the window and spy the treeline, the sun rising over the woods. "Hey, how 'bout we go for a walk? Ever been into the woods?"

 Optimus answers, "No, I haven't." He pauses for a moment, "I do suppose a walk would be nice. After all, knowing the other Autobots, they are probably spending time with their charges as well."

 My mood perks up, "Really?"

 Optimus turns off the way. "I don't see a reason not to. It may be a nice way to become more comfortable with each other."

 I grin and straighten up. Optimus' tires kick up dirt and a large cloud of dust forms behind us. "There," I point to a space between two trees and the brush that had been squashed down, "there's a trail right over in that area."

 Optimus stops at the tree line and opens the door for me to get out. I leap down, walking into the rocky trail and wood. I breathe in deeply, "Oh, I missed this."

 The clank and whir behind me makes me turn to catch the last few moments of Optimus' transformation. It's awe-inducing, really, and I've seen many things. He ducks under the tree canopy and looks around. "Are you positive there are no humans out here?"

 "It's safe," I assure. "Human's don't come out here much. Private property, owned by a friend of mine back in the capital. Everything from here to the end of the valley is a "reserve"." 

 He nods hesitantly. I eye him and smile before trotting ahead. "Besides, before he bought the land, no one came through here anyways."

 "Why is that?"

 I look up and think for a moment. I end up shrugging. "Coyotes, hogs, bears, maybe? I'm not too sure, I've only lived her for a few years." I chuckle lightly and go out on a whim, adding, "Heh, might be the werewolf pack. They reside on this side of the wood. Scares off hunters and hikers." I bend my knees and leap into a tree, clambering to a limb and wait for Optimus to catch up.

 He tilts his head, "What are werewolves?"

 I lean on the trunk. A confused look forms on the face and I furrow my brows. "Huh, never had to explain it," I murmur to myself and try to come up with a simplified and non-confusing answer.

 "Well," I start and look out into the brush, "a werewolf is a human, or humanoid, that turns into a wolf like creature. There are several variants, but werewolf literally means "wolf man" as humans are usually the ones who come across this gene." I walk along the limb and jump to the next tree.

 His face shows some interest. I keep going, "Werewolves have a lot of folklore tied around them in human history, but most, if not all, take them for fiction. We're lucky humans are too critical of such cases now."

 "Are they dangerous?" He asks, keeping up beside me. His foot catches on a large root and he hits his helm on a branch. I snort, covering my mouth.

 "Yes," I nod, wiping the grin off my face. "But so are all animals. Nothing is never not dangerous. In human tales, werewolves are portrayed as man eating beasts, demonizing them, but that is not true. Such transformations are really tasking on the human mental state, of may mental state, and lead to extreme aggression and hostile temperaments. Of course, this varies. The pack here has the same mentality as humans."

 "How interesting," he exclaims. "You are not the only creature that shapeshifts."

 "The only difference is that most species can only shift into one creature," I say. "I, however, can turn into anything I want, with restrictions."

 "Were your parents shapeshifters?"

 I shake my head. "No. My mom was a siren, dad was a werewolf, and somehow I ended up with neither of those genes." I shrug, "It's not a surprise. Animalian monarchy's genetics are about as varied as the germs on a toddler's hand."

 I jump back to the ground, and a branch snaps just ahead of us. My ears perk up. "Optimus," I whisper. "Crouch down and be quiet."

 "What is it?" He speaks quietly, stopping behind me.

 I crouch low to the ground, keeping my eyes focused ahead. A slender head appears out of the bush, a stick covered in berries falling from it's mouth. My heart restarts and I smile, "It's a deer."

 I crawl forwards and hold out my hand, cooing and murmuring gently. The doe turns her head to me, wide brown eyes blinking softly. I feel Optimus watch me intently as I stand, the doe stepping over the bushes and slowly walking over. "Hello, darling," I purr, the doe sniffing my hand before pressing her head against my palm. 

 My fingers scratch behind her ears and I laugh. "Sorry, doll, I don't have any food," I click my tongue and grab a few nuts from the ground. "Here." She sniffs my hand again and nuzzles my hand with her lips as she eats.

 "It seems to trust you," Optimus notes with a hint of sweetness in his words.

 A smirk tugs at my lips, "I'm the queen of all creatures, remember?"

 "Animalia involves all fauna on Earth?" He asks, staying very still as to not spook the deer.

 "All except humans," I restate. "They started their own colonies, own empires and estates. Animalians and humans used to live in peace together until they started to overhunt and cause mayhem among their own civilizations." I stroke to doe's neck, running my fingers through her thin coat of fur.

 "Do the animals recognize you?"

 "It really depends," I mull over the thought. "Animals aren't just all instinct, they can read emotions. Feral language isn't all verbal, but I've seen many colonies. It just depends on where you are."

 The doe lifts her head and bounds off, jumping over the thicket before disappearing into the woods. I stand back up fully and continue walking. "So," I pipe up, "seven years on Earth, huh? How'd the government take to that?"

 "After the initial encounter, I do believe your-sorry, the _human_  government saw us as a threat. Humans are skittish beings, I'm sure you know, paranoid. They wanted to keep and eye on us and had us monitored till they found the silo."

 I nod and look over my shoulder. "And none of them mentioned..well, never mind." I look up and tighten my lip. "I was young, probably half a year into rule when you would have arrived. Fowler had the right idea not telling me, knowing me as a kid."

 We walk into a field, the grass long and hardly touched. I grin and jump right into the grass, crawling on all fours before popping my head up. "What was your planet like?" I ask. "Before this war happened?"

 Optimus raises an optic ridge and I swear I see his mouth twitch into a faint smile before he sits down next to em. "We call it the Golden Age," he says, looking up at the sky, "a time of peace and scientific advancements, where Cybertron and it's sister colonies flourished and thrived off the riches which we had sown years before. It's...a shame that it didn't last."

 I glance up at him and run my fingers over my knuckles. "Do you miss it?"

 "Terribly," Optimus lowers his head. "But we cannot return until the Deceptivoms are no more. Your planet and safety is our first priority."

 I crack my knuckles. Looking up, the sky is blue and hardly had a cloud in the sky. "Might be time to head to the base, don't you think?"

 Optimus looks up as well, "I agree." He lowers his hand to my level, and I look to his face before climbing on. He stands up and places me on his shoulder, turning around and walking out the way we came. It's odd, I can feel his parts move as his shoulders sway. 

 Once we reach the edge of the wood, Optimus transforms around me.

 "Dammit!" I shriek, dropping onto the seat, "Give me some warning next time!"

 He drives back out onto the road and we near a large plateau. Not surprising. I've been wanting to use one of the canyons as a hoard, this area is perfect for hiding in plain site. A door in the center of the huge plateau opens up and Optimus drives through, curving to avoid running into the tunnel.

 Something crashes and clangs at the other end. "What is that?" I ask, trying to listen.

 "I don't know," Optimus says, speeding up.

 We get into the main room and see Ratchet being attacked by some little spider thing. "Shit, Optimus!" I jolt out of the seat.

 Optimus transforms immediately and puts me on his shoulder, firing his blaster at the small robot.

 Ratchet groans, getting back to his feet just as the third did. Before it jumps again, Optimus squishes it with his foot. 

 "And stay broken," Ratchet growls. He holds his head and points down at the crushed metal. "Now what could've caused that?"

 "I have a grave suspicion, Ratchet," Optimus claims. "Dark energon."

 "Dark what?" I ask, frowning, I hop off Optimus' shoulder and bounce off a wall, landing on a catwalk.

 Optimus bends down and picks up the creepy metal crawly, putting it into a container. "If the residue Arcee found on Cliffjumler brought your broken equipment to life," he begins to explain, "it would stand to reason that the very same substance brought Cliffjumper back from the dead."

 I sneer and cross my arms. I don't like the idea of bringing corpses, with no soul, back to life. It isn't right, it isn't morally right.

 Ratchet hums, "That would account for his life signal inexplicably coming back online, but dark energon? It's so scarce as to be virtually nonexistent. What would it be doing on Earth?"

 "Optimus," I state, "there is nothing on Earth that can do that. I mean, there's voodoo and black magic, but nothing physically capable of making corpses walk."

 "It would have had to be transported," Optimus narrows his optics. "And I can only think of one person that could have done such a thing."

 "Megaton?" Ratchet questions. "For what purpose?" I scrunch up my face. Wasn't this the one who rules the Decepticons? He'd would have been the one to give the order to track me down.

 "To conquer this world," Optimus claims, "by raising an army of the undead."

 "You seem to know him well to predict that," I raise an eyebrow. "I mean, where in the hell would there be enough of your dead on Earth to be called an army?"

 Ratchet chuckles lightly, "He'd have to break quite a few toaster ovens, Optimus. There can't be a place on Earth with that many Cybertronian dead."

 I snarl to myself, thinking quietly. There are alien dead all over this planet, but I don't think there are any robots. Well...there is that rusting grave yard of-! "Oh..." my shoulders drop, "Dead Rock Gorge."

 As if one cue, engines rev down the center hall. Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee drive in, letting the kids out before transforming. They chatter about how cool and fun whatever they did was, Miko being the loudest.

 I furrow my brow and cross my arms. Looking back up to Optimus, I pick up a bit of guilt in his optics, and he has good control over showing his emotions so far. I should probably tell him I enjoyed our walk. We'll have to goon more.

 "Autobots, prepare to-" Optimus begins before pausing. He looks to the kids, then to me.

 "-roll out?" Arcee finishes for him, putting a hand on her hip.

 "Remain here," he puts a hand out and turns to Ratchet. "Ratchet, you'll come with me. Arcee, we will be outside communication's range for some time, so I'm putting you in charge."

 I snort. What is this? A parent leaving his kids alone? I huff through my nose.

 "Optimus," she argues, "with all due respect, playing bodyguard's one thing, babysitting's another." Jack, from what I can tell, is getting annoyed with the whole children thing and walks off with a sigh. "Besides," she carries on, "Ratchet hasn't been in the field since the war."

 "My pistons may be rusty, but my hearing is as sharp as ever!" Ratchet shouts. I snicker quietly, leaning back against the rail.

 "For the moment," Optimus assures, a slight waver in his words, "it's only reconnaissance." The edge is so thin and slight, I doubt my own hearing.

 "Then why do I hear an edge in your voice?" I stand corrected.

 "Arcee, much has changed in the last twenty four hours," Optimus states, "and we _all_ need to adapt." He takes a quick glance at me and I smirk, casually walking alongside him on the platforms. "Ratchet," he orders, "bridge us out."

 I frown quickly and whistle. "Uh, forgetting somebody?" I ask, putting my hands on my hips.

 Optimus looks over to me and hums, "Molly, I am not so sure your presence in this mission is the best idea. We cannot risk you getting injured again."

 "And I told my brother it was a stupid idea to run out in the middle of a hurricane, but he did it anyways. Like hell I'm not going." I jump down to a ladder and climb to the floor.

 "Wait, so she gets to go but you don't need us?" Arcee asks with a scowl.

 Optimus gives her a warning look before glancing at Ratchet. The medic shrugs and turns on the portal, the swirling greens and blues pulling my attention. I keep pace with them as they walk in, my steps longer in stride.

 "You are stubborn," Ratchet puts out into the air.

 "As an ass," I hold my chin up. "If this is a potential threat to my kingdom, I want to be sure I know what I'm up against."

 As we exit the bridge, the air changing drastically from dry to drier with more dust and the smell of rock. I tuck my head in at the sight of huge canyons and look around. "I can't believe I'm actually here," I say, mostly to myself.

 "Do you know this place?" Optimus asks with a look down.

 "Know it?" I scoff and laugh nervously. "I can't think of a time where I never learned about it, it's only mentioned a hundred times over in every history book known to Animalian kind." I suck in a breath and shiver. "Somewhere is the ruins of Oriphis."

 I look at the ground and see faint marks of claw prints. "While humans came from the open plains of Africa, this...this was the birthplace of dragons. The mountains, the canyons. Unlike goats, who climbed the rock, dragons grew wings and flew from peak to peak. Valleys were constantly filled with fire, soil was always rich." I sigh, "But as time passed, we grew smaller, and humans spread."

 I hold my arms and look back up. Gods, these walls are towering, even compared to the Autobots. "Heads up," I clear my throat, "I'm going to shift."

 I back up and stretch out, ruffling my wings and holding my neck high. With a yawn, I stretch my jaw as much as I can.

 "Alright, alright!" Ratchet shouts and shudders. "Enough with the teeth, they're already terrifying to look at in a model."

 I tilt my head and laugh, dropping to my forelegs and walking up. I stand about Optimus's height, but now he seems almost too small. "What?" I ask with a smirk, "Jealous?"

 "Unnerved," Ratchet sneers.

 I snort and chuckle lightly, Optimus and Ratchet looking at me with an odd look. My laugh is not fun to hear in the middle of the night, you would think you fell into a savannah with a bunch of hyenas and carnivorous zebras.

 "Aw, don't worry, Ratchet," my tongue glosses over my teeth. "You'll get used to it _guickly._ "

 "I don't like the sound of that," he cringes and leans away. "Optimus, what exactly do we hope to find here?"

 "The site of the largest Cybertronian battle in this galaxy," Optimus answers without turning. 

 "On Earth? You must be joking," Ratchet exclaims while shaking his head. I search the area and lower my head and neck. Something isn't right here, I don't like it.

 "Ratchet," Optimus looks around, noticing my own distress, "do you recall the period late in the war, when both sides began hiding their energon spoils off world?" 

 I furrow my eyeridges. "Of course," Ratchet nods. "It's the reason enetgon deposits exist on world's like this one."

 "It is also the reason battles came to be waged on planets such as this one," Optimus adds in a dark tone.

 "So," I drawl, "you're saying that-?"

 "I fear Megatron's memory is as long as history," Optimus states with narrowed optics.

 I growl under my breath.

 The clatter of stones among the silence makes my ears perk back up and my head whips around, small pebbles bouncing off the side of the canyon. I look up and stare at the highest ledge of the canyon, my ears twitching as the rocks continue to rustle.

 "Decepticons?" Ratchet asks, him and Optimus both ready to fire if needed.

 I lift my head and make a short two-tone whistle. An almost exact imitation comes back after a pause and a barely visible head pokes out. "Oh, thank god," I sigh. "It's one of mine."

 The drake quickly crawls down, walking down the side of the canyon like a goat. They jump to the ground, body like mud and scales like rocks, spikes jutting out from it's back. They look up and gasp, "Your Majesty!" He bows low to the ground, head down and eyes focused on his claws. "What an honor! I, I, we had no clue you would be at the gorge, ma'am! We would have prepared an escort and a feast and-"

 I smile lightly and pull my shoulders back. "You can look up," I laugh, using a talon to lift the little drake's chin up. "I...this wasn't planned," I say. "I'm here with two friends of mine," I nod to Optimus and Ratchet, "on a mission. You wouldn't happen to have found anything strange in the gorge here recently, have you?"

 The drake very clearly gulps and averts his eyes from mine, "Strange how, your majesty?"

 "Specifically anything alien in nature," I click my tongue on the roof of my mouth. "The...uh, "scrap yard"?"

 He perks up and shifts around. "Well, you didn't hear this from me," he clears his throat, "but a few weeks ago, there was a wind storm and when we went to check our aqueducts, the scrap yard was blown over. There are thousands of machines in the dust." He shrugs, "Who knew?"

 I glance back at Optimus and hum. "Where would this be?" I ask.

 "Just east of here," he nods his head once more and I shoo him off. He scampers back up the canyon, disappearing.

 I watch him go and turn back. They stare at me with wide optics. "What?" I raise an eyeridge.

 "Sorry," Ratchet blinks. "At first, I thought you were just delusional. I didn't want to believe-"

 I hiss and sneer, "That I was telling the truth? That I am who I say I am."

 "Ratchet is a skeptic in many things," Optimus quickly intervenes. "You could say he is almost as stubborn as you."

 I frown, huff and shrug. "I don't blame you. I feel offended, but I don't blame you." I turn around and look ahead. "That excavation is east, so if we keep heading this way-"

 "We might find our objective," Optimus finishes my sentence. "Good work, Molly."

 I smile, tail swaying. We continue to walk, stopping occasionally because of rocks or someone getting tired. A shiver runs up my spine, lips curling at the sensation. "I don't like it here," I growl. "Something feels wrong."

 "What do you mean?" Ratchet asks, looking at my snout.

 "I just get this feeling," I turn my head away and look at the walls. "Like someone just slithered over my grave, but worse."

 "So now you're psychic."

 "No," I scoff, "that's my daughter. I know the difference between psychic and this."

 "Well," he rolls his optics, "we can't base the probability of something bad happening on a feeling, can we?"

 I snarl and snap around. "Watch it, Ratchet. You saw the video, I know you did, so you know just what these teeth can do," My words fade into the deafening growl in my throat, eyes throbbing, teeth bared.

 "Enough, Molly!"

 I blink away the fog taking over my eyes and look at Optimus from the corner of my eye, only to turn and see him standing over me. "We cannot afford to have even the smallest of incursions at this time," he states. He glares at me briefly before turning back around.

 I huff and circle around Ratchet before following Optimus. Goddammit Molly, don't start this bullshit back up. You're not sixteen anymore, grow up.

 The wind howls through the canyon as it opens out. The space is filled with unearthed metal corpses, almost crawling out of the ground. Most are pretty much rusted away. "Oh my god," I whisper,

 "For the first time in my life, Optimus," Ratchet wavers, "I had hoped you were wrong."

 A jet rushes through the air, scraping the wind. I look up at the silver object and my wings puff out, my scales on end. 

 The jet transforms, the sound very faint, and lands on the tall rock up ahead with a loud bash. From here, I can't see his features, but I can figure out one thing.

 He isn't like the others.

 "Optimus," he booms, "been well?" He makes a gesture to Ratchet, "I see you brought your trusted watch-dog. I was certain he'd be convalescing in a scrap yard by now." My eyes meet two red ones focused on me. I snarl. "What have we here?" I hear the smirk in his voice. "Surely, this isn't a new pet of yours, is it?" I bark out a roar. "No, too untamed."

 Oh, he better give me a better reason to tear him apart. "Why don't you invite him down for a little chat?" I ask with a rumble in my chest. "I'd love to give him a first hand account of how untamed I actually am."

 Optimus narrows his optics and holds himself high. "I know why you're here, Megatron," he says, his voice carrying far.

 "Hardly a surprise, Optimus," Megatron bellows, waving his hand. "After all, you and I have been at this a long time, and your time has come to an end!" He yells and holds out a blazing purple light.

 He chunks it to the ground, energy sparking off as it plummets and lodges itself into the dust. Dark purple veins stretch out into the crust of the Earth, lighting up the gorge.

 I quickly step back from the tremors, my mouth parting in pure shock. "My god," I gulp and curl my talons.

 "Rise my army!" He roars, his red optics now purple.

 "By the Allspark," Ratchet breathes out as we all jump back. My breathing quickens by a mile, my eyes wider than dinner plates.

 "Behold the power of dark energon!"


End file.
